Organisations in South Africa have been caught on the proverbial ‘back-foot’ when it comes to one of the fastest growing trends in the local IT industry, BYOD, or Bring Your Own Device. With the fast-rising adoption of smart devices in SA, the percentage of those users connecting to their workplace network is massive, and this has caught many IT departments by surprise.

Andy Openshaw, Chief Executive Officer at Nashua Communications says that not only has this put a massive strain on the day-to-day operations of the IT department, but it has also weakened the security structures put in place to protect enterprise and customer data.

“Organisations are not geared up for BYOD and as a result they are missing out on the substantial rewards associated with this move to mobility. BYOD has been proven to increase workforce productivity and effectively connect applications, resources and users, regardless of device and location,” says Openshaw.

He says that another opportunity has been missed in terms of talent recruitment and retention. Speaking at a recent Bring Your Own Device carnival held at the Nashua offices in Johannesburg, Openshaw outlined the requirement by many working professionals to belong to a business that values the flexibility and options afforded to them by a company boasting a formal BYOD solution. “

“Offering employee’s choice in both their device selection and working location has become a crucial part of attracting top talent,” says Openshaw. “In addition, the graduates entering today’s workforce expect to be able to choose which device they use for personal and work purposes.”

“Work is no longer a place you go to, but rather a thing you do,” says Openshaw. ”Businesses are now required to juggle many technology solutions to overcome the challenges around BYOD and finding the appropriate technology partner to assist is key to this process.”